12-16-2017

Good Morning All,

        Matthew 17:5; “He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

      One of the professors that I had in college had an interesting method of teaching.  While he lectured, he would stop and say a name or place or event twice.  If he said it twice, you made a note of it as something to make sure you knew what it meant or why it was important.  If he would stop, say the name twice and then spell it; you knew it must be important.  Yet if he would stop, say it twice, and then spell it out while writing it on the board; well you knew that was going to be on the test and you better know exactly what it was that he wanted you to write about it.  When he would write it on the board, it was the equivalent of him saying, “Pay attention and don’t forget this; this is important!”

    Our verse is the equivalent of God telling you, “Pay attention and don’t forget this; this is important!”   Just in case there was any confusion as to who was speaking and if what he as saying was important; God the Father makes it totally clear.  “This is my beloved Son…listen to him!”  It doesn’t get much clearer than this.  It was clear to the disciples who heard it; they fell on their faces terrified of what they had just heard.  Yet when they looked up, they only saw Jesus.

    That is what we need to do; look up and only see Jesus.  We can look to what he says, what he does and what he wants of us and for us as God’s truth.  We can rest assured of his promises of grace and hope.  We can know with full confidence that he is doing what he said he would do.  He is at the throne of God interceding for us, praying to the Father on our behalf.  He is ruling from his throne at the right hand of God, putting all powers under his feet so that every knee will bow before him.  He is expanding his kingdom so that all those who call upon his name will be saved.  With all this power at work for us; we cannot lose.

    Yet even greater than this power is the love which Christ has for us.  His steadfast love and mercy never fails us.  He continues to walk with us and to guide us by the Spirit.  We are never left to face the assaults and attacks of the devil on our own.  We can always find our comfort in his words of grace.  We can always go to him with our cries and our fears and he will hear us.  He is our rock and our fortress.

   After all this there waits for us the reward of life eternal with him in the restores creation.  It waits for us with its promise of a perfect and restored creation for us and for all who believe.  It is fast approaching, and with it, the end of pain and sorrow, of suffering and death; these will be gone.  Our hope is secure.  “Listen to Him.”

Father in heaven, open our ears that we may listen to your Son ad to know him as the true Savior.  Strengthen our faith and empower our hearts that we might cling to you.  Be with those who do not hear that they may come to know your grace, mercy and truth.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret